Your heart is a tireless muscle, beating over 100,000 times a day to pump oxygen-rich blood to every cell in your body. But to do this job, the heart muscle itself needs a constant, robust supply of that same blood, delivered through its own network of coronary arteries. High cholesterol threatens to starve the heart by clogging these vital supply lines.
This starvation process is called ischemia, and it’s a direct consequence of atherosclerosis, the plaque buildup driven by high LDL cholesterol. As plaques grow within the coronary arteries, they physically narrow the channel, acting like a kink in a hose and restricting the amount of blood that can get through.
In the early stages, this might not cause any problems when you are at rest. However, when you exert yourself—climbing stairs, exercising, or experiencing stress—your heart beats faster and needs more oxygen. The narrowed artery may not be able to deliver this increased demand, leading to the classic symptom of angina: a squeezing, pressure, or tightness in the chest. This is your heart muscle crying out for more oxygen.
If a plaque ruptures and a blood clot forms, the artery can become completely blocked in an instant. This cuts off all blood flow to a section of the heart muscle. Without oxygen, the heart cells begin to die. This is a myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
Managing your cholesterol is the most direct way to prevent your heart from starving. By keeping your arteries clear, you ensure that your hardest-working muscle gets all the oxygen and nutrients it needs to keep you alive and well, no matter the demands you place on it.